Squaw skirt container and method of setting pleats in squaw skirts



R. I. BACK March 23, 1954 March 23, 1954 R. l. BACK SQUAw SKIRT CONTAINER, AND METHOD OF SETTING PLEATS IN SQUAW SKIRTS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 12, 1952 INVENTOR. 2m EM Patented Mar. 23, 1954 UNITED As'fA'-Tiazs PATE sQUAW ,sm-n71: ooNfrA-INERAND METHoD oF i ;SETTINQPLATS .IN sQUAW SKIR'rs Rose I. ack, fPhoenix, Ariz. Application V.)`ux1e,172, 1952, SerialNo. 293,158l

are Washed and laundered by usual methods, the' effect is that of a very full skirt of rather ungainly proportions. Such skirts may have value as costume apparel, but quickly tire when worn for everyday use.

To make the skirts practical for everyday use, they should cling to the body and conform to body movements. This effect can be attained by pleating. The material and design of such skirts require random pleating and since such pleats cannot be machine set it is one of the objects of this invention to provide a means and method for setting random pleats in squaw skirts, and for storing them in pleated condition in an effieient and space saving manner.

Another object is the provision of a packaging and pleat forming tube of fabric which can be made to contain and compress a skirt of the type mentioned.

Another object is to provide a tubular container for a skirt, of the type mentioned, made of especially knitted fabric which is elastieally elongatible and when elongated will shrink circumferentially.

Still another object is to provide a tubular container for skirts as above described which is fabricated of course thread so as to have longitudinal and circumferential elasticity, and the property of shrinking circumferentially when elongated, so as to hold and compress the skirt, and to set and hold pleats therein.

A further object is to provide a method of packaging skirts of the type described, wherein a wet skirt is gathered at the top, enclosed by a tubular container of knit material, and compressed by downward stretching movement of the container to secure circumferential compression, thereby setting random pleats in the body of the skirt, then drying the skirt while so compressed, and thereafter packaging the skirt while compressed within the container by folding or bending the package upon itself to form a shortened length of package.

Other objects will lappear hereinaf-ter.

I `attain the foregoing objects by.-means offtl'iej devices, and .methods illustrated-and explained hereinafter.

In the accompanying drawing, made a ;part of this specification, Figure 1 is .an elevational vice/, of .a skirt of the type here vconcerned and Areferred to as a squaw skirt;

Figure l2 is an elevational view of `theskirt after it has, been wet;

Figure 3 vis .an -elevational ,view of the skirt after it has been wet and .the upper endpleated; Figure 4 is a similar elevationalg/iem. showing i Ythe ;elastic packaging the manner of applying tube;

Figure 5 is a. similar .elevationalfliew of the skirt after the packaging tubeV has been drawn over it and tied to enclose it;

Figure 6 is an elevational view of the packaged tube folded into a shortened package;

Figure '7 is a perspective view of one form of elastic packaging tube; and

Figure 8 is a modified form of packaging tube drawn on a somewhat enlarged scale.

Similar numerals refer to similar parts in the several views.

As shown in Figure 1 the skirt 2 is composed of three flounces 3, 4, and 5, respectively. The top fiounce 3 has the' least number of gores, the middle fiounce 4 has more, and the bottom fiounce has still more. The top flounce has gathers along its top edge as at 6 and this edge is stitched to the belt 1. The bottom edge is full. The top edge of the middle flounce 4 is gathered, as at 8, and stitched to the full lower edge of the top flounce. The bottom flounce is similarly attached to the middle flounce and is provided with a hem 9 at the bottom edge. The skirt 2, as thus composed, is very full and is characterized by the fiounces, gathered along their top edges, while the body of the skirt hangs in loose, rather large folds.

To improve the appearance of the skirt, and to make it hang better, and to make it cling and conform to the body of the user, I set a large number of random pleats in the skirt body as follows:

I first wet the skirt, then hang it on a line IO by pins l2 as shown in Figure 2. While still wet the hem 9 is gathered into zigzag folds by hand and some of the water squeezed out by compressing folds. This tends to start the random folds. The belt is then removed from the line and zigzag folds formed in it and gathered by hand, as shown in Figure 3. The arm IS of the user is then inserted in a tube |6, made 01' knitted material, to

which draw strings l'l are attached at the upper end [8. While the skirt is held by the user's hand |9. as shown in Figure 4, the tube IG is rolled off the arm IS by grasping the lower end 20 of the tube and rolling inside-out over the arm, hand |9, and downward ovei` the skirt body 2 as it hangs from the user's hand. The upper end IB is pulled over the upper end of the skirt 2 just below the belt 1 and the draw strings l'l tightened and tied as shown in Figure 5. The tube is then pulled tightly over the lower end of the skirt as thus compressed, and the lower end 20 of the tube drawn beyond this end to afford i sufilcient material to tie a knot 22. The skirt is dried while thus contained within the tube. Thereafter the bundle, thus formed, may be bent and folded upon itself as shown in Figure 6. The skirt may be conveniently packed in this manner.

Tube 18, as shown particularly in Figure 7, is preferably knitted of heavy nylon yarn. This makes a very elastic tube which is strong and does not retain much moisture. However, the tube may also be formed of diamond mesh netting, as shown in Figure 8, extending lengthwise on the bias so' that drawing the tube lengthwise will Shrink it circumferentially and cause it to compress the skirt contained Within it. The size of the thread or cord composing the netting should not be great enough to form or leave visible marks on the skirt. The draw string may be woven through the mesh of this form of tube, or drawn through an open hem 23 as it is in the knitted form shown in Figure 7.

The tube |6 in any event must shrink circumferentially when lengthened.

When removed from the tube the skirt is ready to wear, and has a large number of random pleats set in its body which gather up its fullness and make it conform to the general shape of the body of the wearer in a pleasing manner.

I claim:

The process of packing a squaw skirt and setting random pleats therein which consists of wetting the skirt, forming random pleats in the lower edge thereof, forming random pieats in the belt thereof while the skirt is held Vertical, forming the skirt into a longitudinally extending roll by compressing it circumferentially and compressing the skirt within circumferentially shrinkable netting while stretching said skirt and netting lenghwise, forming random pleats therein and dryingthe skirt while stretched and compressed in said netting.

' ROSE I. BACK.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Italy Nov. 28, 1931 

